NCT00333762

Use of "Smart Wheelchairs" to Provide Independent Mobility to Visual and Mobility Impairments

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 4 (actual)
• Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development · Federal
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The goal of this project is to evaluate the Smart Wheelchair Component System (SWCS) for power wheelchairs and the Smart Power Assistance Module (SPAM) for manual wheelchairs in realistic indoor environments with target users performing realistic tasks. We will combine group trials involving individuals who have a visual impairment (but do not have a mobility impairment) with several single-case studio involving individuals who have a visual and mobility impairment. Our long-term objective is to provide independent mobility to veterans with mobility and sensory impairments.

Detailed description

There are currently very few mobility options for veterans who have a mobility impairment and visual impairment, and this population will grow as the number of older veteran's increases. The goal of this project is to evaluate the Smart Wheelchair Component System (SWCS) for power wheelchairs and the Smart Power Assistance Module (SPAM) for manual wheelchairs in realistic indoor environments with target users performing realistic tasks. We will combine group trials involving individuals who have a visual impairment (and may or may not have a mobility impairment) with several single-case studies involving individuals who have a visual and mobility impairment. The key questions that will be addresses by the proposed research are: Can smart wheelchair technology improve performance on realistic navigation tasks for individuals with visual and mobility impairments? Will smart wheelchair technology increase the amount of independent travel by individuals with visual and mobility impairments? Will using a smart wheelchair for an extended period of time diminish a person's ability to operate a "traditional" wheeled mobility aid?

Conditions

• Blindness
• Spinal Cord Injury

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Smart Power Assistance Module (SPAM)	Experimental Power wheelchair utilized to traverse prescribed course
DEVICE	Smart Wheelchair Component System (SWCS)	Experimental power wheelchair utilized to traverse prescribed course

Timeline

• Start date: 2006-06-01
• Primary completion: 2008-05-01
• Completion: 2008-05-01
• First posted: 2006-06-06
• Last updated: 2015-12-03
• Results posted: 2015-12-03

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: United States